Laundry machines



Feb. 15, 1966 B. A. BUSS 3,234,571

LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed NOV. 5, 1963 SEQUENCE 7 CONTROLLER 26 22 23 STEAM27 CONTROL 2O 1O um'r STEAM INVENTOR.

DEM/0mm A um 5055 BY Wm ATTORNEXS United States Patent 3,234,571 LAUNDRYMACEHNES Benjamin Alvin Buss, East Moline, 111., assignor to Arnetek,Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 5, 1963, Ser.No. 321,497 6 (Zlaims. (Cl. 8158) This invention relates towasher-extractors and particularly to an improved washer-extractorincluding a unique control for the duration of the application of steamduring the extraction portion of the cycle of operation.

Washer-extractors, particularly those of the large commercial size,often introduce steam into the basket containing the articles beinglaundered during the spinning of the basket at extraction speed. Thisprocedure is intended to produce a predetermined moisture contentsubstantially uniformly throughout the cake or the articles being actedupon. Otherwise, the moisture content varies throughout the mass, withexcessively dry spots occurring throughout the mass.

I-Ieretofore, it has been the practice to arrange the cycle controllerfor the washer-extractor somewhat arbitrarily to introduce steam, afterextracting speed is initiated, for a period of from about two andone-half to three minutes. While such an arrangement has provedreasonably satisfactory, complaints have arisen. The duration of steamapplication varies in accordance with several conditions, includingtemperature of water of the last bath, size of load, pressure andquality of steam, degree of extraction before introduction of steam,detail of machine, and extraction speeds. The first three of theseconditions are the most important.

It has been found that the temperature of the exhaust from awasher-extractor bears a direct relation to the time steam should beintroduced during extraction in order to produce optimum conditions ofmoisture retention.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a means forcontrolling the duration of the application of steam to the interior ofthe basket of a washer-extractor in order to provide optimum moistureretention.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a washer extractor inwhich the control is substantially independent of the temperature of thewater of the last bath, the size of the load, and the pressure andquality of steam.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such awasher-extractor in which the temperature of the exhaust from thewasher-extractor acts as an index of the time of steam application.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a system whereintime and temperature control the operation.

In one aspect of the invention, a washer-extractor may comprise aperforated cylindrical shell forming a drum adapted to contain articlesto be laundered. The drum may be mounted for rotation on a horizontal,hollow shaft within a housing having imperforate walls. Steam may beadmitted, under the control of a solenoid valve, to the interior of theshaft and directed into the interior of the drum through radial passagesleading from the interior to the exterior of the shaft.

In another aspect of the invention, an exhaust passage may be connectedto the imperforate housing, and it may include within it a fan forexhausting the vapors from the extractor.

In still another aspect of the invention, a thermostat may be locatedwithin the exhaust passage, and it may lead to a control unit foroperating a solenoid valve within ice the steam inlet line. -In a stillfurther form, a timer may be arranged to be stopped until thepredetermined temperature is attained. When the temperature is attainedfor which the thermostat is set, such is an indication that the cake orload is heated all the way through.

The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following speci fication and accompanying drawingwhich are merely exemplary.

In the drawing:

The figure is an elevational vieW, partly in section, of aWasher-extractor to which the principles of the invention have beenapplied.

Referring to the drawing, the principles of the invention are shown asapplied to a washer-extractor including a perforated shell forming adrum 10 having imperforate end walls through the center of which ahollow shaft 11 extends and to which latter the drum 10 is fixed. Theshaft 11 may extend through the end walls of the housing 12 and bejournaled in bearings within a casing 13 that surrounds the housing 12.

The interior of the perforated shell drum 10 may include perforated,arcuate dividers 14 forming compartments within which articles to belaundered may be located. The portion of hollow shaft 11 within the drum10 may include perforations 15 for a purpose to be described.

Shaft 11 may extend to the outside of housing 12 and may have fixed toits one end a pulley 16 that is connected to a motor (not shown) by beltmeans 17 for rotating drum 10. The one end of shaft 11 may be connected,through a rotary seal, to a stationary line 18 through which steam isdirected to the interior of drum 10 via the perforations 15. In order tocontrol the flow of steam to drum 10, a solenoid operated valve 19 maybe located within the steam line 18.

Housing 12 may include an exhaust duct 20 to the upper end of which adouble-path duct 21 may be attached. Duct 21 may include paths of fluidflow 22 and 23 on each side of a transverse passage 24. In passage 24there may be located a motor 25 that drives a fan 26 for inducing fluidfiow through paths 23 and 24 to exhaust the interior of housing 12 andhence drum 10.

It has been found that optimum moisture retention, uniformly distributedthroughout the load, bears a definite relation to the final temperatureof the exhaust through the duct 20. This relationship seems to besubstantially independent of the temperature of the last rinse water,the size of the load, as well as the pressure and quality of the steamadmitted through line 18.

In order to take advantage of this relation, a temperature responsivedevice 27 is mounted within the duct 20 in the path of flow of theexhaust from housing 12. Device 27 is connected to a control unit 28,the output of which operates the solenoid valve 19. Control unit 28 mayinclude a thermostat with variable settings, within a range of F. to F.,for example, with a switch that would interrupt the circuit to asequence controller 28' until the preset temperature had been reached bythe exhaust in duct 20, at which time the valve 19 would be closed andthe sequence controller 28' would be restarted.

The moisture retention in two loads of articles, treated during testsunder wide-1y differing conditions, was substantially the same. (1)Using 166 F. water for the last bath, steam was introduced thirtyseconds after the extraction motor was energized. The exhaust fan 26 wasstarted about forty seconds later. Steam pressure was approximately 120pounds per square inch, and the high level of the exhaust temperaturewas 192 F. The final moisture retention was 49.6%. (2) Using 90 F. waterfor the last bath, introducing the steam in the same Way as before,starting the fan 26 at the same time, and with the steam at 107 poundsper square inch, the high level of the exhaust temperature was 187 F.The final moisture retention was 48.4%.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the control of the duration ofsteam admission to the drum by the temperature of the exhaust provides asubstantially uniform optimum moisture retention in the load over widelyvarying conditions. When the thermostat is actuated by a predeterminedsteam temperature, such is an indication that the cake has been heatedthroughout its thickness.

In a further form, the sequence controller 28 may be arranged to bestopped when steam is first admitted and then reactivated when the steamat the thermostat reaches a predetermined temperature.

Although the various features of the improved washerextractor have beenshown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of theinvention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such detailsand certain features may be used without others without departing fromthe principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a washer-extractor, an imperforate housing; a drum having aperforated cylindrical wall mounted in said housing and fixed to ahollow shaft that extends outwardly of said housing, said shaft beingconnected to a steam line through a rotatable seal; means for rotatingsaid shaft; radial passage means in said pipe for passing steam to theinterior of said drum; an exhaust duct leading from said housing; a fanin said exhaust duct for exhausting vapors from said housing; a valvefor controlling the flow of steam to said hollow shaft; temperatureresponsive means in said exhaust duct; and a control unit responsive tothe operation of said temperature responsive means for controlling saidvalve.

2. The method of extracting moisture from a load of material andproviding a uniform moisture retention in said load, which methodcomprises centrifuging said load at an extracting speed while injectingsteam through said load; and controlling the duration of steam injectionin accordance with the temperature of the steam exhaustingv from saidlead.

3. In a washer-extractor, an imperforate housing; a drum having aperforated cylindrical wall mounted in said housing and fixed to ahollow shaft that extends outwardly of said housing, said shaft beingconnected to a steam line through a rotatable seal; means for rotatingsaid shaft; radial passage means in said pipe for passing steam to theinterior of said drum; an exhaust duct for exhausting vapors from saidhousing; a solenoid operated valve for controlling the flow of steam tosaid hollow shaft; temperature responsive means in said exhaust duct;and a control unit responsive to the operation of said temperatureresponsive means for controlling said valve.

4. In a washer-extractor, an impenforate housing; a drum having aperforated cylindrical wall mounted in said housing and fixed to ahollow shaft that extends outwardly of said housing, said shaft beingconnected to a steam line through a rotatable seal; means for rotatingsaid shaft; nadial passage means in said pipe for passing steam to theinterior of said drum; an exhaust duct leading from said housing; a fanin said exhaust duct for exhausting vapors from said housing; a valvefor controlling the flow of steam to said hollow shaft; temperatureresponsive means in said exhaust duct; and a control means for effectinga cyclic operation of said washer-extractor and including means forstopping said cyclic operation after the extracting speed is begun, thevalve opened and the fan is energized, said control means furtherincluding means responsive to said temperature responsive means forclosing said valve and restarting said cycle of operations.

5. In a washer-extractor, an imperforate housing; a drum having aperforated cylindrical wall mounted in said housing land fixed to ahollow shaft that extends outwardly of said housing, said shaft beingconnected to a steam line through a rotatable seal; means for rotatingsaid shaft; radial passage means in said pipe for passing steam to theinterior of said drum; an exhaust duct for exhausting vapors from saidhousing; a solenoid operated valve forcontr-olling the flow of steam tosaid hollow shaft; temperature responsive means in said exhaust duct;and a control means for effecting a cyclic operation of saidwasherextractor and including means for stopping said cyclic operation.after the extracting speed is begun, the valve opened and the fan isenergized, said control means further including means responsive to saidtemperature responsive means for closing said valve and restarting saidcycle of operations.

6. In a washer-extractor, an imperforate housing; a drum having aperforated cylindrical wall mounted in said housing and fixed to ahollow shaft that extends outwardly of said housing, said shaft beingconnected to a steam line through a rotatable seal; means for rotatingsaid shaft; radial passage means in said pipe for passing steam to theinterior of said drum; an exhaust duct for exhausting vapors from saidhousing; a solenoid operated valve for controlling the flow of steam tosaid hollow shaft; timer means for actuating said rotating means andvalve for rotating said drum and admitting steam thereto during awasher-extractor cycle and including means for interrupting theoperation of said timer means during said actuation; temperatureresponsive means in said exhaust duct; and a control unit responsive tosaid temperature responsive means for closing the steam valve andreactivating said timer means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,675,160 6/1928Carroll 34-53 X 2,198,412 4/1940 McDonald 68-24 X 2,573,966 11/1951Hamlin 8-1493 X 3,102,407 9/1963 Stilwell 6824 X WALTER A. SCHEEL,Primary Examiner.

2. THE METHOD OF EXTRACTING MOISTURE FROM A LOAD OF MATERIAL ANDPROVIDING A UNIFORM MOISTURE RETENTION IN SAID LOAD, WHICH METHODCOMPRISES CENTRIFUGING SAID LOAD AT AN EXTRACTING SPEED WHILE INJECTINGSTEAM THROUGH SAID LOAD; AND CONTROLLING THE DURATION OF STEAM INJECTIONIN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEMPERATURE OF THE STEAM EXHAUSTING FROM SAIDLOAD.